Must-see restaurants in Paris

  • Dupain

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Artisan, organic flour from traditional millers is used by aptly named boulanger/pâtissier (baker/pastry-maker) Miche Dupain (pain being French for 'bread…

  • Ladurée

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    Queues stretch around the block from this St-Germain branch of famous patisserie Ladurée for its picture-perfect delicacies, including its rainbow of…

  • Crabe Royal

    Paris

    Royal Kamchatka (Alaskan king crab) is the star of the show at this restaurant-deli on gourmet place de la Madeleine – styles range from gratin to miso…

  • Le Bon Saint Pourcain

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    Right at home in this chic neighbourhood, behind a French navy-blue façade, Le Bon Saint Pourcain has a daily changing chalkboard menu listing three to…

  • Le Parc aux Cerfs

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    Evening reservations are essential at this small, stylish restaurant named for the clearings used as French aristocracy hunting fields prior to the French…

  • Chez Jenny

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Feast on huge portions of Alsatian choucroute garnie (sauerkraut with smoked or salted pork, frankfurters and potatoes), baeckeoffe (Alsatian meat and veg…

  • Dalmata

    Paris

    Hip pizzeria Dalmata only bakes 101 Neapolitan pizzas per service in its mosaic-tiled wood-fired oven, so arrive early. Varieties include Black Delirium …

  • Broken Arm

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Small but stylish, this cafe opens directly onto the street and from its adjacent concept store stocking men's and women's fashion, shoes and bags along…

  • Grand Amour Hôtel

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    Opening to a winter garden in the Grand Amour Hôtel, this hipster hangout opens with breakfast (French, English or vegetarian), followed by an all-day…

  • Rhino Rouge

    Paris

    Meats supplied by star butcher Olivier Metzger are smoked for up to 12 hours in Rhino Rouge's fire-engine-red in-house smoker. Menu standouts include beef…

  • Le Cochon à l'Oreille

    Paris

    A Parisian jewel and listed monument, the hole-in-the-wall Le Cochon à l’Oreille retains 1890-laid tiles depicting vibrant market scenes of the old halles…

  • La Cigogne

    Paris

    Not only is this charming shop filled with produce sourced directly from over 50 French farms and small-scale producers, you can also taste them at…

  • Cloud Cakes

    Paris

    Behind its sky-blue façade, this little tiled cafe serves plant-based cuisine at breakfast (avocado and coriander toast, pancakes with fresh fruit and…

  • Causses

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Shelves at this upmarket grocer are laden with fruit, veggies, cheeses, yoghurt, sardines, smoked salmon, olive oil and wines. Hidden down the back, its…

  • Les Domaines Qui Montent

    Paris

    Les Domaines Qui Montent was around before the cave à manger trend began, and while it’s not as trendy as most newcomers, it is very much the real thing…

  • Marché des Enfants Rouges

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Built in 1615, Paris’ oldest covered market is secreted behind an inconspicuous green metal gate. A glorious maze of 20-odd food stalls selling ready-to…

  • Café Foufou

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Mirrors on the ceiling enhance the sense of space at this stone- and brick-walled cafe. It's a great little pit stop for granola, fluffy pancakes with…

  • Loulou

    Paris

    Hidden inside the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Loulou is naturally stylish: vintage banquettes and velvet curtains create a cosy salon-like dining space…

  • Paperboy

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Jeanne and James' contemporary cafe is irresistible. From the crates of fruit and veg in the window to a menu that spells out the artisanal origin of the…

  • La Robe de la Girafe

    Paris

    Named for the first giraffe in France – an 1820s gift from the Vice Consul of Egypt to Charles X, which sparked a mania for giraffe-patterned items – this…

  • Buvette Gastrothèque

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    Parisians love anything to do with New York, including this French restaurant hailing from the West Village. American owner Jody Williams and her French…

  • Coinstot Vino

    Paris

    A simple bistro in the already crowded Passage des Panoramas, Coinstot Vino serves honest French fare (think veal in cream sauce and sea-urchin tarama)…

  • Louie Louie

    Paris

    In a pared-down interior with light-wood furniture and exposed-stone walls, this pizzeria on trendy rue de Charonne is minimalist, attractive and chic…

  • Les Ombres

    Paris

    This glass-enclosed rooftop restaurant on the 5th floor of the Musée du Quai Branly is named the ‘Shadows’ after the patterns cast by the Eiffel Tower’s…

  • Clover Grill

    Paris

    Don't let the power lunch crowd or €72 Angus ribeye steaks deter you from snagging a seat at Jean-François Piège's fantastic grill – even simple burgers (…

  • Les Galopins

    Paris

    Vintage posters on the walls give a retro ambience to this warm and buzzing bistro filled with locals feasting on huge platefuls of traditional French…

  • Populus

    Paris

    Opened in late 2019, Populus is that easy-to-miss 'secret spot' that locals like to recommend. It's somewhat off the beaten track, in a surprisingly quiet…

  • Chez Toinette

    Montmartre & Northern Paris

    The atmosphere of this convivial restaurant is rivalled only by its fine cuisine (seared duck with honey, veal with chanterelles, sole meunière, poached…

  • Coup d'Œil

    Paris

    Traditional decor (exposed brick, patterned tiles) meets contemporary design (wave-form timber ceiling panels) at this striking wine bar. Cider-steamed…

  • Kunitoraya

    Paris

    Some of Paris' best udon (thick Japanese noodles) is what this buzzing brick-walled address is all about. Grab a seat at one of the communal tables and…

  • Crêperie de Josselin

    Paris

    With dark timber furniture and painted plates and screened by lace curtains, Josselin takes its name from the eastern Breton village crowned by a 14th…

  • Les Cocottes

    St-Germain & Les Invalides

    Christian Constant’s sleek concept space is devoted to cocottes (casseroles), with a buoyant crowd feasting on inventive seasonal creations cooked to…

  • Frenchie to Go

    Paris

    The fast-food outpost of the burgeoning Frenchie empire is a wildly popular destination. Bilingual staff transform choice ingredients (eg cuts of meat…

  • Petits Plats de Marc

    Latin Quarter

    This tiny pit stop off rue Mouffetard is wonderfully cosy and a change from the usual humdrum tourist spots; the homemade soups, quiches, pastries and…

  • Beef Club

    Paris

    Packed ever since it threw its first T-bone on the grill in spring 2012, this beefy address is all about steak, dry aged and prepared to tender perfection…

  • Café du Coin

    Paris

    This 'corner cafe', with big picture windows, high ceilings, original floor tiles and pot plants lining the staircase, is a neighbourhood favourite for…

  • Le Bon Georges

    Paris

    Le Bon Georges thrives on nostalgia, focusing on personable service (the proprietor works the room himself) and a hearty bistro menu featuring classic…

  • La Buvette

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Etched on a mirror mounted on the white-tiled wall, the day's menu at La Buvette incorporates small sharing plates such as smoked white beans with…

  • Le Temps au Temps

    Paris

    Foodie street rue Paul Bert is the perfect spot for this delightfully traditional and excellent-value bistro with a quaint timber façade and menu chalked…

  • Le Tagine

    Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville

    Moroccan wines, including a fruity Amazigh Beni M'Tir red and dry Guerrouane Gris rosé, accompany delicious tagines (such as chicken and duck with honey…

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